As they were trekking through the dense vegetation towards the camp, Marcus was still shocked stupid at the moves Adam executed during his fight with the motorcycle gang.
He could recognized those techniques anywhere and he made it his mission to find out more about his past.
Up ahead were Adam and Tabitha. Lachlan was about 5 feet away from them and Marcus was a foot or half behind Lachlan.
Lachlan looking over his shoulder saw that Marcus was in deep thought.
With a mischievous grin Lachlan asked
"Oi, Marcus, you're stressin' about Adam nickin' Tabitha off ya, aren't ya? Better pull ya finger out, mate, and act quick!
"Pfft... Tabitha?, that can never happen. We see ourselves like siblings now."
"Is that so?"
" Yeah and besides she's not my type."
"Alright then mate--" Lachlan suddenly stopped and faced him.
" Who's your type then?"
With a sigh Marcus looked down at the ground then Lachlan's face. " It would have to be a tall woman with a nice big plump ass like Jennifer Lawrence."
"Ya know what? I reckon we'll be good mates."
They both laughed it off and continued walking. By then Adam and Tabitha had already passed them by. There was akward silence between the two as they were both still baffled by what happened on the interstate.
Tabitha not being able to bear it anymore broke the silence.
" So are you gonna talk about it or..."
"I'm as surprised as you are, but I guess it's a good thing isn't it."
" Yeah." She replied very flat
"Is it still about what happened before."
"Don't, I'm already pissed off as it is." Tabitha said not showing any emotion in her voice but it was on her face.
Just as soon as they stopped talking Marcus called out to them.
"Hey guys we're almost there." He said pointing at a tree with 3 nothces in it each bigger than the last.
After walking a few more feet they were greeted with a very tall wall made out of red bricks. The wall was about 15 feet high and had platforms behind it upon which one could make patrols. There were two guards on duty.
Wedged between the wall was a gate made of solid steel and it was about two thirds the height of the wall.
The guards on the wall were armed to the teeth and weren't showing smiling just blank expressions.
Marcus came out and said to the men.
"One for all...." And they replied him by saying
"And all for one." The two guards chorused and the gate slid open revealing a woman standing before the tall wrought-iron gate, her sharp grey suit tailored to perfection. Her arms are crossed, exuding authority, while her dark hair is pulled into a sleek bun. With brown eyes and a calm, unreadable expression, she commands the space effortlessly, her presence almoymore imposing than the gate itself.
"Welcome back guys." She said with a smile."Please come in." She gestured for them to come into the compound.
****
In the compound the group could be seen in an office. The office looked like a standard office seen anywhere before the apocalypse. The sun that penetrated through the windows illuminated the room filling it with warmth. A cool breeze was also blowing in , it filled the room with the smell of fresh cut grass which was a welcomed by the group who were had beared the smell of rotten bodies for a long time.
"Well, this seems bloody nice! Reckon we should grab some bikkies and a cuppa while we're at it, eh? Have ourselves a lil' tea party." Lachlan said sarcastically while lieing on his back with is katana by side.
Marcus and Tabitha were both sitted on the sofa in the office near the windows dimming the lighting. While Adam was pacing back and forth.
' I don't like her aura at all for some reason I feel like I can't trust her. But Tabitha and Marcus seem fine so how bad could it be.'
Sighing inwardly he stopped pacing and joined Marcus and Tabitha on the sofa.
After waiting for a few more minutes the woman entered the room and sat down behind the desk as the door faced it directly.
With her hands placed on the table she examined them before speaking a word. Once she was done leaned back into the swivel chair.
" So would you like to introduce yourselves to me, well that excludes you two now doesn't it." She said facing Marcus and Tabitha on the sofa.
" So I would like to ask your permission to document this interaction. Of course I could just do it anyway but it won't be civilized now will it."
The smile she had on her face made Adam even more suspicious but he just turned it off.
"Yeah I don't mind... What about you Lachlan."
"Ah, whatever, mate. Long as I get some decent tucker 'round here, I'm sweet." Lachlan said through a yawn showing his disinterest in all of what was happening.
"Well then could Mr Carter and Mrs Quinn could you please exit the room please."
Marcus stood up swiftly but Tabitha hesitated.
"If It's about Joe I understand it was gonna happen sooner or later." She said to Tabitha which eased latter.
After they had left she faced the remaining 2.
"For the sake of accurate documentation we will have to take the interviews individually."
"What's this, love? A bloody job interview?"
Lachlan scoffed. "And ya haven't even told us your name yet, love!" He said now in a sitting position back against the wall and a leg parallel to the floor.
"Forgive me . I'm Evelyn Prescott. So now can we begin." Evelyn now had a hint of irritation in her voice.
----
Evelyn had insisted on individual interviews, and Marcus and Tabitha had been assigned elsewhere, leaving Adam and Lachlan to face her alone.
Lachlan was called first.
He strolled into the office with his usual cocky swagger, katana clinking softly by his side. Adam watched him go, the door clicking shut behind him. The sudden silence in the hallway was deafening, leaving Adam alone with his thoughts.
He leaned against the wall, arms crossed, gazing at the chipped paint on the opposite side of the corridor. His mind churned.
Lachlan had been in there for what felt like forever. Adam shifted his weight, restless. What's she asking him? Evelyn was hard to read, her sharp gaze cutting through every interaction like a scalpel. There was something about her that rubbed him the wrong way, yet he couldn't deny she commanded respect.
The hallway felt oppressively quiet. The distant sounds of people working in the compound—a faint hum of voices, the occasional clang of metal—only served to remind him how alien this place felt.
He ran a hand over his face, exhaling. His thoughts wandered to Tabitha and Marcus. Were they okay? Tabitha's icy demeanor during the walk here still lingered in his mind. He hated seeing her upset, but he couldn't quite figure out how to fix it. She'd always been strong, the kind of person who didn't let anyone see her cracks, but he could tell something was weighing on her.
The door creaked open, and Adam straightened, his heart skipping a beat.
Lachlan stepped out, his usual smirk noticeably absent. His katana hung loosely by his side, and he glanced at Adam with a flicker of something in his eyes—humor? Pity? Adam couldn't tell.
"What did she ask you?" Adam asked cautiously.
Lachlan shrugged, leaning against the wall farther down the hall. "Good luck, mate," he muttered, cryptic as ever.
Before Adam could press him, Evelyn's voice called from the office. "Adam. Your turn."
He swallowed hard, pushing himself off the wall. His palms felt clammy, but he shook it off and stepped inside.
---
The room was modest but carried an air of authority. The desk in the center was organized to the point of intimidation, with papers stacked neatly and a camera perched on top. The blinking red light seemed to bore into Adam as he entered.
Evelyn sat behind the desk, her posture impeccable. Her hands were clasped lightly on the surface, her eyes sharp and unyielding as they followed him to the chair.
"Take a seat," she said, her voice calm but firm.
Adam sat stiffly, his hands resting awkwardly on his knees.
"This isn't an interrogation," Evelyn began, leaning back slightly in her chair. "It's a conversation. I need to understand who you are, what you can do, and whether you fit here."
Adam nodded slowly, not trusting himself to speak just yet.
She gestured to the camera, the blinking light a constant presence. "This is for our records. We document all interviews. Keeps things transparent. Let's start simple. State your name."
"Adam Greene" he said, his voice steady but guarded.
"Age?"
"Thirty."
She nodded, jotting something down on a piece of paper. "What did you do before the world went to hell?"
Adam hesitated. He didn't know what to say so he decided to come clean."I don't know I lost my memory so I don't know what happened. But I would pick a soldier."
Evelyn's eyebrow lifted slightly, the faintest hint of surprise. "You don't say. Well that explains it"
"Explains what?" he asked, his tone tinged with suspicion.
"The way Marcus described you on the highway. Quick thinking, calm under pressure. Most people panic when things go sideways. You didn't."
Adam shifted uncomfortably. He didn't like being analyzed.
"I'm not here to flatter you, Adam," Evelyn continued, her voice softer now. "But I need to know why you're really here. Why Haven? What do you want from this place?"
Adam blinked, caught off guard by the question. He opened his mouth to answer but found himself hesitating. The words didn't come easily.
Finally, he sighed, looking down at his hands. "I don't want to keep running," he admitted quietly. "I've spent the last... God, I don't even know how long. I just want my memory back. I'm tired. I just want... I want to know who I was. For once. And for the people I care about to be safe too."
Evelyn studied him for a long moment, her expression unreadable. Then she leaned forward slightly, resting her arms on the desk.
"That's what we all want," she said gently. "Safety. Peace. A place to breathe." She paused. "But Haven doesn't just give that to you. You have to earn it. Everyone here has. And if you're willing to work for it, there's a place for you too."
For the first time, Adam felt a weight lift from his chest. Her tone had softened, her words genuine.
"I'll prove myself," he said firmly, meeting her gaze.
Evelyn smiled faintly, leaning back in her chair. "Good. Then let's get to work, and don't worry you'll regain your memories."